Warm Thoughts For A Cold Day

What images come to mind when you picture a holiday to the Caribbean? Are you lying on golden sand under a palm tree? Snorkelling with colourful fish in clear turquoise waters? Swigging down rum with a dreadlocked Johnny Depp? Yes, a trip to the Caribbean often includes one or more of these components (Johnny Depp unlikely). But what has surprised me is just how different each island I have visited has been from the others. If you book yourself a holiday to somewhere in ‘the Caribbean’, rather than looking at what the individual islands have to offer, you might be missing out on that perfect holiday just for you. I recently revisited St Lucia and fell in love all over again. So, what makes St Lucia different from the rest? In my opinion, St Lucia has one of the most beautiful scenic wonders of the Caribbean: The Piton Mountains. Awarded UNESCO World Heritage status, these two peaks rise dramatically from the sea like two sentinels guarding the entrance to paradise. Not just incredible to look at though; you can take on a challenging hike/scramble to the top of Gros Piton at 798 metres. It takes roughly 4-5 hours for the return trip and, from experience, I can guarantee that you will have wobbly legs by the end. If this sounds a bit daunting, here’s a tip: just go to the halfway point! It has a gorgeous view of Petit Piton and the west coast, and a bench to take a well-deserved rest on. The beauty of the Pitons doesn’t stop at the surface; the peaks continue to fall deep down under the sea, and this creates an idyllic environment for snorkelling and diving. The water deepens quickly, and the base of Petit Piton is covered in coral reef. Float and admire the bright and lively underwater world, then stick your head up and gasp at the Petit Piton towering above you. One peak; two different worlds. Now why does St Lucia have such majestic peaks? Because it is a volcanic island. The beaches in the south of the island should have black volcanic sand. If you see a resort in the south with fine white sand, they have probably imported it from Guyana! As you head further north, the beaches become a little more of what you would expect from ‘the Caribbean’, with soft golden sand. For more volcanic fun, you can explore the Caribbean’s only ‘drive in volcano’! Drive right to the entrance and walk into the crater to see the sulphurous springs and steam vents. For a pampering experience, bathe in the bubbling mud before freshening up in a nearby waterfall (particularly good if you’ve recently hiked Gros Piton!) With such fertile soil, lush rainforest covers the interior of St Lucia, spreading down into valleys and up over hills and mountains. Approximately 77% of St Lucia is covered in trees, compared to 19% of Barbados. Though mostly untouched, this rugged interior gives you the opportunity to take on a variety of land-based adventures. Mountain bike around the ruins of sugar plantations, or zip-wire through the jungle! In summary, St Lucia is a fantastic place to relax on a beach surrounded by stunning views. However, if you like your rum punch served with action and adventure then St Lucia might just be the perfect island for you.